My sister was in a car-pedestrian accident. She was the driver. The pedestrian was hurt but got better. My sister had only cuts and bruises. There was no serious physical injury. However, the emotional problems caused by the accident seem to have lingered. Is this a sign of an unstable personality?
Not necessarily. Some traumatic events can just be more than even a stable mind can handle. Humans have limits!
Mental health professionals trained in these types of problems call this post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The affected person sees or experiences an event that causes major distress. They become impaired in social, work, or emotional functioning. They may have bad dreams about the event.
Patients with PTSD can become irritable, angry, and unable to sleep. They may start to avoid people or activities.
PTSD is fairly common after orthopedic trauma. In fact a recent study reported PTSD in over half of all patients seen in a Denver trauma center. The events leading to the PTSD included motor-vehicle accidents, falls, and motorcycle or bicycle accidents.
You may want to suggest your sister seek some help if her distress has lasted longer than one month. Early recognition and treatment of this problem is the key to recovery.
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